Control apparatus



March 19, 1929. js 1,705,671

CONTROL APPARATUS Fil ed Oct. 24, 1922 Fig.4.

INVENTOR Paul L- Marcus;

ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

Patented Mar. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL L. MARDIS, OF EDGEWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOU$E ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTROL APPARATUS.

Application filed October 24, 1922. Serial No. 596,610.

My invention relates to control apparatus and it has special relation to the construction and operation of a relay device for use in motor-control systems.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel form of device of the above-indicated character whereby, under materially dii'l'erent voltage conditions, the one or the other of two movable contact members will open a control circuit.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device in which a single coil is used to open a circuit under either no-voltage or over-voltage conditions.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel form of trip latch that will keep the circuit open until released manually or by a reset magnet.

Other objects of my invention will become evident from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wierein Figure 1 is a view, in elevation, of a relay or control device constructed in accordance with the present invention, and

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a control system embodying the device shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, the structure here shown comprises a main coil 1 and a co-opcrating armature 2 that is suspended from any suitable insulated support 3. At the lower end of the armature, as illustrated, are secured two flexible contact members 4 and 5, made preferably of spring material with the outward or away from each other. Two stationary contact members 6 and i" are disposed in engageable relation with the flexible contact members 4 and 5, respectively. li lounted on opposite sides oi the armature 2 and severally adjustable with respect to the flexible contact members 4 and 5 are two stops 8 and 9. On the opposite side of the arn'iature 2 from the coil 1, is secured one end of a coiled spring 11. The other end of the spring 11 is secured to an insulated support 12. Any suitable device, such as a screw 13, is provided, whereby the tension of the spring 11 may be adjusted to any predetermined degree.

An insulated bar 14 is secured to the opposite side of the armature 2 from the coil 1. Near the outer end of the bar 14 is scoured an upstanding lug 15.

An armature 17 of a reset coil 21 is pivotally mounted, as at 18, upon any suitable support, not shown. The end 16 of the armature 17 is bent downwardly from, and at right angles to, its main body portion. The end 16 rests on the top surface of the upstanding lug 15 when the contact members 4 and 5 are in engagement,respectively, with contact members 6 and 7, and is held in that position bya spring 19.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, which shows the embodiment of my relay device in a control system, a vehielemotor circuit extends from trolley conductor 22 through trolley 23, line switch 24, which is controlled by coil 25 and battery 36, more or less oi. starting resistance 26, according to the position of manual. controller 84, armature 29 and held winding 81 of the motor and thence to ground.

A circuit is also established {T0111 trolley conductor 22 through trolley 28, resistance 35, conductor 38, coil 1 of my relay device and conductor 89 and thence to ground.

The actuating coils of switches 24, 26, and 33 and the reset coil 21 are adapted to be energized by the battery 86.

The operation of the system shown in Fig. 2 may be described as follows: When coil 1 of my relay device is energized, the armature 2 is actuated thereby, against the opposing action of sprin 11, through an arc sir ,nt to bring flexible contact member 4 into ongagement with stationary contact member When master controller 34 is moved to its initial position (1 a circuit is established from the po:-:itive terminal of battery (1U through conductor 37, control illlIQi1-l 41 and 42, which are in dged by contact segment 46 of ihe master controller 34, conductor 51., reset coil 21 and conductor 52 to the negative terminal oi the battery 36. The armature 17 is thus held out of the path of movement of bar 14 and lug 15.

Another circuit is concurrently established from contact segment 46 of master controller '34 through control. finger 43, conductor 54,

contact members 7, 5, 4 and 6, conductor 55, coil 25 of line switch 24, conductor 27, contact segment 47 oi master controller 34, control fingers 48 and 49 and conductor 50 and thence to negative conductor 52.

hen coil 25 is energized, line switch 24 closes the above-traced motor circuit.

An interlock switch 28, oil? a familiar type, is also closed by the energization of coil 25, and a holding circuit is established through coil 25, conductor 51, interlock switch 26 and conductor 53 and thence to negative conductor 52.

When the controller is actuated to position 7), contact segment- 46 becomes disengaged from control linger 42, thereby decnergizing the coil 21. Contact segment 47 is also disengaged from control lingers and 4.9. Line switch 2 1, however, is held closed by the holding circuitabove described.

In position b of the controller. 841, a further circuit is established from contact segment 46 through control linger let to the actuating coil of resistor-short-circuiting switch 82.

In position 0, the arcelera ting switch is also closed, whereby the resistor completely short-circuited and full line voltage is impressed upon the motor.

The tension of spring 11, which is secured to the armature 2, may be adjusted by means oi' device 18 to balance the pull of the coil 1 on the armature under normal operating conditions and maintain the double cntac illustrated in Fig. 1 between two predetermined limits of voltage applied to the motor.

hen the voltage impressed upon coil 1 exceeds a predetermined limit, or, in other worcs, when the voltage impressed upon the motor exceeds a preselected value, the pull exerted by coil 1 on armatureQ will overbalance the opposing pull of spring 11, and armature 2 will move toward the coil. The stop 9 will thence force flexible contact member 5 out of engagement with stationary contact member 7, thereby breaking the previously traced circuit through actuating coil of line switch 24. The line switch is thus opened and the circuit through the motor is broken.

As armature 2 moves toward the as above described, the top face of 7 slides under the depending end 16 ot the armature 17 until the edge of the lug is reached and the depending end drops to the arm 141-. The end 16 is biased in this position by the tension ot the spring 19 and thus locks the armature 2 against actuation by the spring' 11 and holds the flexible contact member 5 out of engagement with the st; tionary contact member 7.

On the other hand, it the voltage impressed upon the coil 1 is less than a predotermincd limit, or, in other words, it the voltage impressed upon the motor is less than a predetermined value, the tension of spring 11 over-balances the pull of coil 1 on armature 2, whereby armature 2 moved away from coil 1, and flexible cont-rot member is disengaged from stationary contact me2nher G. The line switch 24: is thus opened and armature 2 is locked against the pull of coil 1 in a manner similar to that described above.

hen the line circuit has thus been opened, it is obvious that the controller 34 must be coil 1, 111' 15 returned to the initial position to energize the reset coil 21 and release the locking arm ature 17 before the line switch may be closed.

It will be seen that I have provided a simple and etficient device by which a motor may be protected against unoue fluctuations of line voltage and. the resultant injuries caused thereby.

I do not wish to be restricted to the specific circuit comiections or arrangement of parts herein set forth as various modilications thereof may made within the spirit and scope of my invention. I desire, theretorc, that only such limitations shall be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Control apparatus con'ipris' 15;, in combination, an armature, a pluulity oi" relatively movable contact members carried the armature, lined con. 11*.l3fi1'z3 posed to receive the movable cont here, means for limiting mo the movable contact members .13 in control the engagement of said movable anl lixed contact members, and means for locking the armature in dilerent iiredctermined positions to maintain the contact members in engagement.

2. Control apparatus comprising a plurality of fixed contact members, ture, a plurality of movable contact members mounted upon said armature for co-operating with said fixed conta mcmbe a plurality oi stops mounted upon said armature to limit the outward movementolf said movable contact members to govern the gagement of the contact members when the armature is operated and a coil tor actuating said armature.

Control apparatus comprising. in combination, an armature, a pl ura ity of rolati voly movable contact members carried by the arn'iature, fixed contact members disposed to receive the movable contact members, means for limiting the movement ot the movable contact. members adapted to control. en gagcment 01 said movable and lixed con tact members, and mea s for locking the armature in different prtnlctersnined positioi 3' to maintain the contact members in engagement, and means adapted to eilcct the release of the armature.

at. Control apparatus coi'riprising a plural ity of stationary contact members, an armture, a plurality of flexible contact members removably mounted upon said armature and adapted to engage the respective stationary contact members, means carried by the armature for governing the engagement of the stationary and movable contact members, a spring mounted upon said armature, and a single coil adapted, by different degrees of energization, to co-operate with said spring in breaking the contacts between an arniaill) said respective sets of stationary and movable contact members.

5. Control apparatus comprising a plurality of stationary contact members, a pln rality of movable contact members co-operating therewith and single means dependent upon the separation of one set of contact members by movement in the one or the other direction for restraining the contact members in either of the assumed positions.

6. Control apparatus comprising a plurality of stationary cont-act members, an armature, flexible contact members mounted on opposite sides of said armature and adapted to engage said stationary contact members, a spring mounted upon one side and a single coil disposed upon the opposite side of said armature, whereby dii'lerent degrees of energization of said coil will cause the contact of the one or the other of said flexible contact members with its stationary contact member to be broken and a single means for locking said armature against further actuation when either contact is broken.

7. In control apparatus, in combination, a depending armature disposed for oscillatory movement, a pair of resilient contact members carried by the armature, stationary contact members disposed to engage the resilient contact members when the armature is oscillated, means tor limiting the movement of the resilient contact members away from one another to govern the establishment of engagement between the movable and fixed contact members, and means for actuating the armature.

8. In control apparatus, in combination, a depending armature disposed for oscillatory movement a pair of resilient contact members carried by the armature, stationary contact members disposed to engage the resilient Contact members when the armature is oscillated, means for limiting the move-- ment of the resilient contact members away from one another to govern the establishment of engagement between the movable and fixed contact members, and means for locking the armature in different predetermined positions.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 13th day of October, 1922.

PAUL L. MARDIS. 

